CHRISTIE REPUBLICAN OBSTRUCTIONISTS FAIL NEW JERSEY FAMILIES

TRENTON –Democratic State Chairman and Assemblyman Joseph Cryan today issued the following statement on the passage of the FY2010 state budget:

“In the face of the global economic recession, Democrats produced an honest budget that preserves our core values while giving New Jersey families real opportunities to thrive when the national economy rebounds.

MORIARTY LAUDS PROPERTY TAX RELIEF FOR SENIOR AND DISABLED HOMEOWNERS

(TRENTON) - Assemblyman Paul Moriarty (D-Gloucester/Camden) today released the following statement:

"While all of us would like to do more in these tough economic times, the successful tax amnesty program and other Democratic efforts to boost the economy are allowing us to safeguard our neediest residents.

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ASSEMBLY DEMOCRATIC BUDGET COMMITTEE MEMBERS ON PASSAGE OF THE FY 2010 BUDGET

(TRENTON) - The Democratic members of the Assembly Budget Committee today issued a multimedia package on the Assembly passage of New Jersey's annual appropriations act for fiscal year 2010.

The $28.9 billion fiscal year 2010 budget (A-4100) is about $4 billion less than last year - representing the largest spending cut in state history - and would:

• Provide property tax rebates to households earning less than $75,000 per year;
• Retain the property tax deduction for households earning up to $250,000 per year;
• Devote more than half of state spending to property tax relief;
• Cap tuition increases at 3 percent and increase direct college student assistance by about 10 percent; and
• Increase school aid by $270 million.

GREENWALD: 'BUDGET FOCUSES ON OUR CORE MISSION AS A STATE'

"If New Jersey hadn’t already separated itself from the rest of the nation in how we have handled our budget in this unprecedented economic climate because of the emphasis on responsible spending cuts and maximizing federal dollars, now we have.

"As other states continue to make unconscionable cuts to their residents core values, we continue to strengthen ours."

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ROBERTS/WATSON COLEMAN/GREENWALD ON BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED TAX AMNESTY REVENUE FIGURES

(TRENTON) - Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts, Jr., Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman and Assembly Budget Committee Chairman Louis D. Greenwald today issued a multimedia package discussing Governor Jon S. Corzine's announcement that the state's tax amnesty program has exceeded revenue projections and what it means for the FY 2010 Budget.

Lawrence & DiCicco Call on Corzine to
Implement Republican Budget Savings and
Restore Property Tax Relief for New Jerseyans

Assembly Republicans' $783 million in proposed savings
and $300 million in "new" amnesty revenues means
Democrats have no excuse not to restore property tax relief

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP – Eugene Lawrence and Domenick DiCicco, candidates for the General Assembly in the 4th Legislative District, called on Governor Jon Corzine to implement the Assembly Republicans' proposed budget savings in order to restore property tax relief for all New Jerseyans.

The New Jersey Assembly Republicans have proposed $783 million in additional savings from the current FY2010 budget. If Corzine and the Trenton Democrats were to implement the Republicans' responsible plan, they would have enough funding – along with the $300 million in amnesty revenues – to restore the entire property tax relief program that Corzine gutted earlier this year.

"There is no excuse for Jon Corzine, Paul Moriarty, and the rest of the Trenton Democrats not to take advantage of this opportunity," Domenick DiCicco said. "For them not to take advantage of the specific savings proposed by the Assembly Republicans is a thumb in the eye to the millions of New Jerseyans who will continue to have their promised property tax relief taken away."

"If Corzine and his team will not lead, then voters will replace them with representatives who will," Eugene Lawrence added. "If Jon Corzine and the Democrats pass on this unique opportunity, it will provide voters will have a clear choice in November: a choice between more of the same from the Democrats, or real change represented by Domenick and I."

WATSON COLEMAN ON BETTER-THAN-EXPECTED TAX AMNESTY REVENUE REPORT

(TRENTON) - After Governor Jon S. Corzine's announcement today that the state's tax amnesty program generated better than anticipated revenue numbers for the FY2010 budget, Assembly Majority Leader Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer) issued the following statement:

Fifth District Assembly Candidate Stepfanie Velez-Gentry
calls on Joe Roberts to stand up for New Jersey's taxpayers

Joe Roberts is Jon Corzine's chief enabler.

BELLMAWR – Stepfanie Velez-Gentry, a candidate for Assembly in the Fifth Legislative District, called on Assembly Speaker Joe Roberts to stand up for New Jersey's taxpayers.

"The Governor has submitted a budget that hurts the taxpayers of this state and for Joe Roberts to simply call it 'sobering' is ridiculous," Velez-Gentry said. "Taking away property tax rebates from nearly every New Jerseyan is more than 'sobering,' it's a disgrace."

"Joe Roberts is supposed to be a leader," Velez-Gentry continued. "A real leader would stand up against this budget and call on the Governor not to take away the rebates he promised us he would expand."

"Under Jon Corzine the average property tax bill has gone up in virtually every municipality in our district," Velez-Gentry stated. "What is sobering to me is that Joe Roberts is Jon Corzine's chief enabler."

"It is Jon Corzine's high taxes and out-of-control spending that got us to where we are," Velez-Gentry concluded. "Our district and our State deserve better, they deserve members of the General Assembly who will fight against budgets that hurt regular people and they deserve members of the General Assembly who will exercise fiscal restraint, not enable Jon Corzine to spend their money."

Adolf to Beach: Say No to Corzine's Irresponsible Budget

Former mayor and early advocate of zero-based budgeting
demands Democrat vote against Governor's gimmicked budget

BERLIN – Joe Adolf, former Mayor of Magnolia and candidate for the State Senate in the 6th Legislative District, has called on Senator Jim Beach to oppose Jon Corzine's budget when it comes up for a vote before the full Senate.

"Jon Corzine's budget is nothing new," Adolf said. "From the one-shot gimmicks to the eye-popping deficit spending, there are two things Jon Corzine's budgets all have in common: they hurt middle-class families, and they fail to resolutely solve any of our state's fiscal problems."

The Governor's budget, if passed, would eliminate property tax rebates for almost two million New Jerseyans and will lead to more jobs moving out of state.

"South Jersey deserves better than Jon Corzine's budget," Adolf added. "South Jersey deserves better than to have Senators and Assemblymen who, instead of standing up for their constituents, back down to the Governor and the entrenched Trenton Democrats."

"The families of the 6th District cannot afford Jon Corzine's budget, and if I were in the Senate today, I would vote against this budget for that reason," Adolf concluded. "It is long past time we stop trying to balance our budget on the backs of our children, and instead make the tough decisions to bring about real budget and property tax reform in our state. I hope that Senator Beach will stand with me and oppose Jon Corzine's irresponsible budget when it comes to a vote before the full Senate."

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WEEKLY BUDGET MESSAGE:  BURZICHELLI ON CONVERTING PROPERTY TAX REBATES TO DIRECT TAX CREDITS

(TRENTON) - Assemblyman John J. Burzichelli today issued a multimedia package focused on his legislation to change New Jersey's property tax rebate program into a system of direct tax credits.

Burzichelli's bill (A-3308) would deliver the state's homestead property tax rebate as a direct credit to homeowners on their tax bills.  It also would protect homeowners' sensitive personal information by removing certain property tax deduction and credit information from public documents, making it harder to find out what a household makes based on their property tax deduction.